


9-5

by polkaprintpjs



Series: petals and ink [1]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop & Tattoo Parlor, Alternate Universe - Human, Gen, Humanformers, POV Second Person, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:14:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26314744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/polkaprintpjs/pseuds/polkaprintpjs
Summary: Ugh, pizza.How much does she think you need to eat, anyway? You check the clock as you flop into the spinny chair. Cyc’s break is in an hour, if she doesn’t get too busy.
Series: petals and ink [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1912012
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	9-5

You squint at the ceiling for a while before checking the digital clock on the shelf. You’ve got about.... negative 12 minutes,  _ fuck _ . You take a second to reflect on your life choices and just how important a job  _ really _ is. 

Shit. 

If you want a bed  _ to _ sleep shittily in, pretty important. Whatever, you’ll skip the shower, it’ll be fine (not like you were going to take one anyway). 

You go through the rest of your routine- yank on some jeans and a hoodie, shove your feet into boots held together with nothing but spit and duct tape. 

You end up stopping by the gas station for a water bottle and a premade, freshly microwaved biscuit- you don't have time, but Tailgate’s been on your ass about ‘hydration’ and ‘Whirl so help me if you don’t eat at least once today  _ so help me _ ’. 

It’s not too big a hassle, though- you’re not thrilled to admit it, but it’s not too bad, to have someone bother. 

You have to jog the rest of the way to work, both tucked into your hoodie, but you get there. Teeg’s already unlocked when you shove through the door, which is good- last time she hadn’t and you’d hit glass face first. She’s at the front desk when you barge in, on the phone; technically that’s your job, though she hasn’t fired you yet. 

She waves at you and you salute back as you circle the desk- vaulting is a ‘only when Teegs isn’t in the room’ kinda thing. 

She’s done with the call by then and slides the notepad to you. 

“Here, add Ms. Jones to the schedule, would you? She wants a touchup on the chest piece, the floral one.” 

You make a show of nodding as you hold a pen in your knuckles to jab the startup button for the desktop. 

“Patch job for the tit tat, got it.” 

She heads back to start setting up for the first customer but you catch her snort. You tear the sandwich in half and cram one piece into your mouth as you use the pen to tap in the password on the ancient monitor- Teegs can afford better, you know, but you don’t mind this model, old as it is, and she won’t make you upgrade. 

You’ve still got roughly a quarter of a breakfast biscuit in your mouth when the door opens and Cyclonus comes in. 

She’s early today; usually she only comes after your lunch break to make sure you’re treating her flowers right. 

“Heya ‘Tunia,” 

you say, smiling brightly- the expression is weird on your face but absolutely worth it for the disgusted look she gives you. 

“Hello, Whirl. Never call me that again. Is Tailgate here?” 

The lady in question pops her head around the corner, and you get a front row seat to Cyc growing feelings in real-time, same as every time she lays eyes on Teegs. 

“In here, Cyclonus. How’s it going?” 

You watch her as she joins Teegs in the walled-off work area; your boss is just as excited to see her. They’re working on the gauntlet, probably. 

* * *

Lunch rolls around and Teegs sits at the front desk while you head out the door. You wave over your shoulder as she says something about eating- you ate earlier, it’s fine. It’s a short walk across the street and you’re in front of Cyc’s shop, looking at the sticker on the glass door with name and hours. 

Cyclonus's Flowers, Monday to Friday, 8-6; alternative hours by appointment only. 

A couple girls walk out, messing with flower crowns- the most recent addition to the shop and pretty damn popular. They let the door fall closed as they brush past. 

You bump it open with your hip, hands firmly in your hoodie pocket. She barely looks up from her own meal, just nods slightly as she scribbles notes onto some scrap paper. 

“Hello, Whirl. Anything in particular, today?” 

You prop your elbows on the counter and give her as close to a sultry look as you’re capable of without busting out laughing. 

“Something… stinky,” you say, leaning to peek at the paper. She doesn’t stop writing as she looks up at you. 

“And none of that ‘strong smelling’ shit,” you add. “I want something gross.” 

She nods and puts down the pen. 

“Very well. Something smelly it is.” She pulls a painted mason jar from under the counter. You eye the purple ribbon but lean forward to sniff. 

Ugh, lavender. 

She missed the ‘gross’ part of the brief. You frown and take an exaggerated step back.

“Whoa, now, I said stinky. Those smell like that one perfume you use.” 

She pauses from where she’s straightening the blooms to give you a Look, capital L. 

“Whirl, it’s lavender and larkspur. You told me the perfume smelled ‘icky, like if a garden ralphed’. So here you go, take your stinky flowers.” 

You start to poke at one of the purple ones (lavender, you knew it) but she pushes your hand away without looking. 

“I dunno, they’re not as bad without the weird clean smell.” 

She doesn’t look exasperated anymore; now she’s sitting squarely at bemused. 

“Clean- are you talking about my shampoo? You know what shampoo is, yes?” 

You pause to evaluate the conversation and decide it’s time to bail; the last time you had the shampoo talk with someone (Tailgate, literally last week) you had to keep your hood up for the next three days to avoid a repeat. Uh, no thanks. 

“Sure,” you say, wrapping your hands around the jar as best you’re able- if nothing else you can hold on by pressing your hands together. 

“Put it on my tab,” you say, walking backwards and narrowly avoiding a puddle. Falling on your ass right now would not be fun. Also… 

“Hey, got any flower crowns in blue and white?” 

She looks a bit confused for a moment; you’re not the flower crown type. 

You know she gets it when she looks past you out the window, though. 

“Whirl, you don’t have a tab. Give me my money,” she says but you’re out the door. It’s fine; all part of the routine. 

* * *

When you get back to the shop Teeg’s crumpling her sandwich wrapper to toss in the trash. She smiles real wide at the flowers as you put the jar on the front desk with  _ pro _ nounced care. 

“Oh, they’re so pretty! How much was it?” 

“Aw, don’t worry about  _ that _ ,” you say as you fiddle with the jar. “My treat.” 

She scoffs at that, leaning on her forearms. She’s still smiling, though. 

“Whirl, do you  _ have _ money to spend on flowers?” 

Okay yeah, flowers are expensive, but come on. You don’t buy  _ that _ much booze. 

“Yeah, I can afford the flowers. Are you gonna go draw on someone or what?” 

She jumps out of the chair to loom dramatically, but she’s still pretty short and you’re pretty  _ not _ so it’s not super effective. 

“Fine, I’m buying the pizza though.” 

She goes to wash up and prep for the next appointment and you wait till she’s in the bathroom to take a couple steps back and jump the front desk- more of a flail, but hey. 

Ugh, pizza. 

How much does she think you need to eat, anyway? You check the clock as you flop into the spinny chair. Cyc’s break is in an hour, if she doesn’t get too busy. 

The guy in the waiting room is staring at you and you stare right back, sprawled out in your chair. It’s not your problem if he can't keep his eyes to himself. 

“Not very professional,” 

he says and settles back, starts fucking around on his shiny phone. You picture the flowers all wet and drooping splattered across his slacks. Teegs comes back in time to save his pants and the flowers. 

“Hey, Whirl, if Cyclonus comes by later send her to me, okay?” 

You shrug. 

“Yeah, sure.” 

She nods and waves Mr. Professionalism back for his appointment and you refresh the computer. 

Youtube it is, you’ve got some Mythbusters to get through.

* * *

You hear the door and ignore it. Whoever’d walked in can wait until this shit’s picked up. You mumble a curse and try to get a grip on the pencil. 

“Whirl?” 

She’s here early. You think about pretending you didn’t hear her, but end up standing anyway. 

“Hey, Cyc. How’s it hanging?” She pulls a bright little packet out of her apron pocket. 

“You forgot the plant food. And something else, I think?” 

She raises an eyebrow and looks down the hall, to where Tailgate’s still with a customer. 

“Ugh, okay. If you’re gonna twist my arm about it, here.” 

You slide a crumpled one across the counter and mirror her unimpressed stare for a bare minute before you crack. “Fine.” You add a five, and her other brow goes up. “ _ Fine _ .” A ten, and she smiles as she folds the bills neatly into her pocket.

“Thank you. Add half the packet to a half cup of warm water and stir well before putting it in the jar. Do the same in two days.” 

You sigh, deeply put out. 

“Yeah, yeah. I got it, Ivy.” That gets you less of a stink eye than usual- Poison Ivy isn’t the worst ecoterrorist you’ve ever compared her to. Your eye catches on her other hand and the petals you can see. 

“Ooh, now what might that be?” 

She lifts it for you to see, a pretty blob of blue and white before you realize- it’s a flower crown, like you’d suggested. 

“Here, since you paid so promptly. I had some extras from an order and a bit of spare time.”

She puts it on the desk and wait, no. 

“What, you’re not gonna hand it off?” 

She shakes her head and turns to the door, doesn’t meet your eye. 

“No, I think I’ll leave that to you. It was your idea, after all. Enjoy the rest of your day.” 

“Hang on, Teegs wanted to talk to you,” you holler after her. “Give it to her yourself, she’ll be done in a minute.” 

She shakes her head again and pushes the door open. 

“I’ll see her tomorrow. You and she, both. Good evening, Whirl.” 

You squint at the door, a little irritated. It’s not even evening, it’s barely two. And what the hell was that about? She’d almost sounded flustered. 

Was a flower crown really worth that kind of embarrassment? 

“Whirl, was that Cyclonus?” 

Teegs picked a helluva time to finish up. 

“Yeah, she bolted though.” 

She frowns at the door after she sends the customer on their way. 

“Really? Weird. Oh hey, what’s that?” 

You nudge the crown her way. 

“She brought this for you. Pretty, huh?” 

Teegs oohs over it as she plops it on her head. 

“How’s it look?” 

“Hideous.” You say solemnly. “Absolutely horrendous-” 

She throws a crumbled post-it at your head as you snicker.

**Author's Note:**

> sky and i have been talking abt this au for like a month ive just been too gay for cyc to write it  
> anyway im on tumblr @megatronismegagone   
> also! lmk what u thought?


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